CWGA Championship -- Veteran Sennett eliminates Lamy

By JOHN NASHHour staff writer

Published
5:45 pm EDT, Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Hour photo/John Nash

Danielle Lamy of Weston blasts out of the sand trap on the 11th hole at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton on Tuesday, during her CWGA Championship quarterfinal match. Jean Sennett of Glastonbury defeated Lamy, 3&2.

Danielle Lamy of Weston blasts out of the sand trap on the 11th hole at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton on Tuesday, during her CWGA Championship quarterfinal match. Jean Sennett of Glastonbury defeated Lamy, 3&2.

WILTON -- On a day when a golfer doesn't know where a drive is going, there are other parts of the game one can usually fall back on.

When those other parts are inconsistent, as well, a tightly contested match can often come down to an extra, unseen intangible.

That proved to be the case in Tuesday's 94th annual CWGA Championship quarterfinal match between Danielle Lamy of Weston and Jean Sennett of Glastonbury.

Lamy, the 20-year-old University of North Carolina-Wilmington junior, was taking part in her first-ever CWGA Championship while Sennett is a three-time finalist who has been a regular in the semifinals over the last decade-plus.

Sennett parlayed her experience to a 3&2 victory over Lamy, placing her in yet another final four situation.

Sennett, who defeated Maggie Finch 4&3 in the Round of 16, admitted both golfers had a rough afternoon session.

"I don't think either one of us played close to our best," she said. "Playing 36 holes in one day isn't something we're used to. It's not easy."

Sennett was part of a three-way playoff after shooting an 82 in Monday's stroke play, earning the second seed when Myra Macmillan -- last year's runner-up -- won the first playoff hole with a par.

Lamy overcame a 50 on the front nine on Monday, coming in with a 37 on the back to finish 87 -- good for the 10th seed.

In Lamy's first match of the day, she recorded a 6&5 win over Westport's Jayne Hynes to advance to the final eight.

Against Sennett, however, her game went AWOL.

"I felt really uncomfortable today, but I don't know why," said Lamy. "There were times when I knew I had the opportunity to take the hole and I just couldn't do it. I don't know what it is. We all have those days. That's what happens with match play."

Sennett won back-to-back holes at the turn, moving 2-up on the ninth and 3-up on the 10th to put herself on the cusp of taking control of the match.

On the 11th, as rain started to trickle down from the gray skies above, Lamy got one hole back with a nifty par save.

After both strayed right with their tee shots on the 395-yard par-4 hole, each golfer found themselves in the bunker to the left of the green. The difference, though, was Lamy found it on her second shot while Sennett beached it on her third.

Lamy blasted out of the bunker, landing the shot just five feet from the hole. She sank the par putt while Sennett notched a bogey.

On the 12th, Lamy blasted a long drive and perfect approach shot, leaving her in the middle of the green, approximately 20 feet from the hole.

Sennett's second shot sailed long into the rough to left of the hole, and two three-foot pitch shots out of the rough doomed her hopes of winning the hole as Lamy's two putt pulled her back to within a hole.

"I was like alright, let's do this," said Lamy. "I still thought I had a chance."

Moving on to the 145-yard par 3 13th, it seemed Lamy had the momentum.

Both tee shots went left of the green, though Sennett landed in the rough just feet from the green. Lamy's shot landed deeper in longer grass, forcing the duo and those watching the match to search for the ball.

With approximately 30 seconds left in her alloted search time, the ball was found and Lamy played it out, sending it to the far side of the green and into the rough.

On the return, Lamy again sent the ball long. A missed putt gave the hole to Sennett, who moved 2-up again.

Sennett moved 3-up on the 14th hole.

On the par 3 15th, Lamy again hit the middle of the green while Sennett found the rough. Sennett was able to chip to within a foot off the cup, matching Lamy's par and sending the match dormie to the 16th.

Both players parred the 16th, with Lamy missing a 10-foot birdie putt that could have kept the match alive.

"I couldn't rely on anything today," said Lamy. "There was nothing I could fall back on."

Sennett will face Lynda Milligan Foster in one of two semifinals on Wednesday.

She will face 16th-seeded Ann Newman, who knocked off Fairfield's Macmillan 4&3 in the first match of the day and topped Carol Galbraith, 6&5 in the quarterfinals.

The semifinals tee off at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday.

In Lamy's morning match against Hynes, a quick start and a big finish springboarded her into the quarterfinals against Sennett.

Hynes three-putted two of the first three holes, as Lamy took a 2-up lead. By the turn, she was 3-up.

"I just didn't putt well," said Hynes. "(Lamy's) a good player. She told me she usually doesn't qualify well, but she's a really good match play player. I was hoping to turn it around on the back nine, but it just didn't happen."

Hynes had earned the No. 7 seed after shooting an 84 on Monday.

In the Founders Cup flight, top-seeded Priscilla Wargo advanced to the semifinals, where she will play Diana Shildneck. In the other half of the bracket, Janet Karabin won a pair of 2&1 matches to get in position to face Paula D'Aniello Lupi.